Bird box for mice?

[Malcolm Banks]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Woodmice can be a considerable problem to certain woodland bird species, they will predate chicks and eggs, even dormice will feed on chicks. This is often seen in females increasing their protein intake.

Can you please confirm though Dogghound, that this “problem” is in the context of the normal ecological dynamics of woodmouse habitats, or is there an imbalance in some situations, that impacts negatively on adult woodland bird numbers? I have the yellow necked woodmouse (Apodemus flavicollis) in the woods bordering my garden, and they are really attractive little chaps. I should hate to think they are involved in unsustainable predation levels on the birds I love to see – the woodmice would claim innocence of course and would blame it on their genes.
M

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Malcolm Banks

Can you please confirm though Dogghound, that this “problem” is in the context of the normal ecological dynamics of woodmouse habitats, or is there an imbalance in some situations, that impacts negatively on adult woodland bird numbers? I have the yellow necked woodmouse (Apodemus flavicollis) in the woods bordering my garden, and they are really attractive little chaps. I should hate to think they are involved in unsustainable predation levels on the birds I love to see – the woodmice would claim innocence of course and would blame it on their genes.
M

Its not so much a problem which causes national declines Malcom, but in some local examples it can have negative impacts on some breeding species such as chiffchaff's. I may have been a little over the top when I said considerable. I suspect it will be at its peak in areas with high woodmouse numbers and low (or vulnerable) breeding bird numbers. In a general context rodents can be quite predatory.

[Malcolm Banks]

Thanks Dogghound, that's reassuring, and yes, the little furry fellers are consumate opportunists when it comes to grub
M

[~T~]

Well if I do get any mousey inhabitants I will be sure to see if they cause any problems with nesting birds. After reading this I put the open face box nearest the mouse box site as I think im less likely to have anything use that one(its maybe a meter above) as I really only have 2 places I can site the nest boxes.

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by ~T~

Is there some kind of bedding that attracts bumble bees? I seem to remember reading a thread on here about someone who set up all sorts of feeding stations

Hi ~T~, that would be Pauline's Bumble Bee Story. thread.

I had bumbles nesting in one of my hedgehog nest boxes last year

[~T~]

Looks like my mouse box may have been used. I found a recently weaned wood mouse hopping about just near the bush where the box is situated (I was planting some sunflowers, sweet peas and nasturtiums and almost chopped the little guy in half).

Here are a few pics of the little feller. It didn't seem to bothered about being handled and right after I released it, it started to munch on some crumbed peanuts that had fallen from the peanut feeder